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Climandes 2

The project Climandes 2 builds upon the first phase of the project (Climandes 1) and aims to develop climate services for decision-makers in Peru and to improve the training of meteorologists in the Andean region. User-tailored weather forecasts can help the rural population in managing the impacts of climate change. The cooperation between MeteoSwiss and the Peruvian weather service is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

MeteoSwiss supports the development of climate services for the Peruvian Andes

The Climandes pilot regions Cusco and Junín

Weather station in Peru

Agricultural area in Peru

Meeting with farmers in Cuzco, Peru

Innovative cooperation between Switzerland and Peru

The project Climandes 2 (Servicios climáticos con énfasis en los Andes en apoyo a las decisiones) strengthens the existing partnership ties and exchange of knowledge between the two mountainous countries Switzerland and Peru. It is a pilot project of the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). The joint project activities support the Peruvian weather service (SENAMHI) and the WMO training centre at La Molina University (UNALM) in Lima. The project consists of three complementary modules.

The project aims to develop high-quality climate services specifically tailored for the agricultural economy in the Andes. As the availability of water is a decisive factor affecting agricultural production, module 1 of Climandes 2 intends to provide improved information on precipitation and droughts. To this end, climate monitoring and seasonal forecasts for the Andes will be prepared. The development of climate services in module 1 is linked to module 3, which includes the assessment of user-needs for climate services in the agricultural economy.

Module 2: Improved training in meteorology and climatology

In the context of Climandes 2, academic training in meteorology and climatology in Peru shall be improved. This will ensure the development of high-quality climate services in the Andes. Module 2 will strengthen training at the Peruvian weather service and the WMO training centre (WMO-RTC) at La Molina University. At these institutions, e-learning material will be developed and introduced into existing and new courses. These training opportunities by SENAMHI and the WMO-RTC will be promoted and made available to other countries in the Andean region.

Module 3 aims to connect users and providers of climate services in order to match climate information with user needs. By means of a participatory process, the concept of a User Interface Platform (UIP) will aid the development, application and improvement of climate services. Module 3 further discloses the economic value of climate services to political decision-makers in the Andean region, thus ensuring the granting of public funding required for sustainably maintaining and operating the basic infrastructure and climate services provided by SENAMHI.

In a pilot case study the project SEB Peru examined the socio-economic benefit (SEB) of a hypothetical early warning system user-tailored for coffee and maize farmers in Cusco, Peru. The results demonstrate that small farmers have a strong interest in using climate services.

International project organisation

Climandes 2 is financed by the Global Programme Climate Change of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and coordinated by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The project is implemented in Peru by the Peruvian weather service SENAMHI and La Molina University. The project partners are supported by the universities of Berne, Geneva and Zurich, ETH Zurich, Meteodat GmbH, J. Sauter GmbH, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Peru, and the Swiss Tropical Institute.